Author's Note: I'm really sorry these two chapters are super serious but I promise last one for a while. (probably.) I felt like this chapter was important to be very serious in the sense that it sort of relates to more than just what the words are saying. Anyway, I just got a really great idea for a new character that I'm exited about. Also shout out to AjaTheNerdBunnyAuthor and MissesE for once again being amazing and supportive!
Chapter 26
Kim's eyes flew open. She was panting and lying face up somewhere in the dirt. Her tattered velvet green Christmas dress still clung to her but was in ruins and her hair had become a still tangled darker shade. Kim's recountings of her transformations were becoming more fluid. The occurrences of the night before came back to her almost instantaneously. She'd traveled off into the woods and scavenged around in the night but she'd seen something. A horrible, massive cloaked figure drifting towards her. It had come right up to her and then left. Kim's spine erupted into shivers as she recognized it was one of those things that dragged off Lycaon and Rhea Silvia.
It was easier for Kim to get up that morning because she hadn't been confined to one little space this time so there was no need for the wolf to hurt her. She did a quick 360 and soon realized she had no idea where she was. All that surrounded her were trees, trees and more trees. Kim learned against a tree, the rough bark irritating a scratch mark on her back and wondered if she really wanted to find her way back. After all, if her mother was a witch Kim didn't know if she'd even want Kim back in the house.
"Kim!" came a voice from the distance.
It was too late to make a decision. Before she could run, Kim made eye contact with a pair of bright pink eyes and saw a white fluffy coat springing through the snow. Diamond had arrived.
Kim didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe how Diamond had reacted when she'd turned last night. It was Diamond's voice that kept her fighting until the very last second and she may be credited for saving her family's life.
Before Kim could express what she was feeling, Diamond once again threw her arms around her but this time not in a tackling, desperate kind of way.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she said and didn't let go for the longest time. "Mrs. Banks she's over here!" Diamond called.
Kim jerked backwards, sliding slightly in the snow.
"My mom is here?" she asked.
Diamond nodded just as Mrs. Banks appeared in the clearing. She was wearing her blue nightgown with a green coat thrown over it and still had her wand tip illuminating in a pale light of dawn.
"Kim?" said her mother.
The name sounded foreign in her mouth and there was something funny about the way her mother looked at her. She looked sleep deprived as well, almost as if she didn't even recognize the daughter that was standing in front of her.
"Kim you were infected?" said her mother, in the same foreign tone.
Kim looked at Diamond who gave her a reassuring look and nodded. She felt very uncomfortable about this, ashamed even. Kim was ashamed she had to stand her like this and talk to her mother about something she really wished hadn't happened her her.
Just then as if things couldn't get any worse Mr. Banks and Grandmother Alberta appeared, Kim's grandmother dressed for bed and her father dressed for work.
"Stay back Helga," said Grandmother Alberta as she arrived on the scene. She stuck out her bony hand and cautioned Kim's mother from coming nearer.
"What?" said Kim, taking a step backwards herself in the opposite direction.
Grandmother Alberta, like her mother was also looking at Kim in a way that she'd never seen before. It was like their eyes were seeing right through hers.
"Kimberly I don't know what you've done," said Grandmother Alberta in a worried tone. "I've said you can make some bad choices in your life but this... this isn't right. I'm sorry Kim but you need to go."
"What?" repeated Kim.
"Alberta you can't be serious," said Mr. Banks who seemed to be the only one who still looked at Kim the same way he use to tuck a ten year old version of her into bed.
"I had my doubts when I saw those scars on her face Harold," said Grandmother Alberta. "Surely you two must have noticed how sick she looked even before now. Her hair had gotten so much darker, I just assumed she was growing out of her gold locks but now I feel I'm such a fool. My sister Delores has taught me everything there is to know about identifying one of them. I should have been more careful," she said and waged her finger. "Harold I said stay back from her!"
"But she's still our daughter," said Mr. Banks, who had been attempting to comfort the shaking Kim. "Who cares if she's one of them?"
"Who cares?" said Kim's Grandmother. "Who cares!" she shouted. "My mother was a pureblood and was disowned when she married my father but that means I still have the blood of one of the nobel 28 families running through my veins. You Harold yourself have Malfoy blood in your system and should be proud of it. I don't know how you two did it," she said. "But somehow you two created three squibs in the family!" Grandmother Alberta shouted. "In my day we would have drowned them. But of course, I played along. I pretended I knitted and made scarves like any muggle grannie would do for seventeen years! My own mother would disown me if she were still with us today. While I still have pureblood in my veins I am not going to let whatever foul blood has overtaken your daughter to infect anyone else. I said stay away Harold!"
Kim was shaking violently now. This wasn't her grandmother, it couldn't be. This wasn't the woman who told her stories by the fireplace or her baked pies and let her lick the bowls. She must be dreaming. Maybe she hadn't woken up yet and was still asleep in the snow.
Mrs. Banks who had been frozen as a statue this whole time seemed to unfreeze at this moment and turn to Grandmother Alberta. "What do you suppose we do mother?" she asked. "We can't just throw her out."
"That's exactly the point!" screeched Grandmother Alberta. "She's diseased Helga can't you see that? Do you want any of your other children howling at the moon?"
Finally Kim was brave enough, or angry enough to take a step forward.
"I don't suppose I get any say in this do I?" she said harshly.
There was a moment of surprise where all the adults suddenly remember that Kim knew how to speak and had been listening to everything they were saying. Then it was Grandmother who was the fastest back on her feet.
"You need to go," she said plainly and pointed off into the forest. "Diamond it was nice to meet you but you need to leave with her."
"Mother no," said Mrs. Banks.
"You know what, congratulations Helga," said Grandmother Alberta. "You disgrace me with three, non magical children and then one day I get a letter from you saying there's finally hope, someone to pass the family pendant onto, a witch in the family, but no," she said distastefully. "You have three squibs and not a witch, a werewolf. If you're not going to take initiative, I will. Kim go. Now."
Kim wasn't sure which hurt more, her transformation or her Grandmother's remarks. Either way she was fed up with it.
"Fine!" Kim said and turned on her heels in the snow, running off deeper into the woods.
Something inside Kim felt like a hole was tearing its way inside her. The grandmother who she'd always loved and respected could now only see her as a monster. What she had said about her mother failing her lineage was horrifying to hear from such a respected role model. Kim couldn't take it anymore. She stomped around angrily in the snow until finally Diamond caught up her and gave her the warm white coat to cover her shredded green dress. Kim couldn't be more grateful as she even comforted her in the snow. This had officially been the worst Christmas of her life.
"What is out next step?" Diamond asked after a very long time.
Kim's bones were freezing over even in Diamond's coat and it wasn't fair of her to make Diamond wait her for her with nothing but her muggle clothes on.
"We need to get back to Hogwarts," Kim decided.
"We need to get out of these woods first," said Diamond. "And we also need to get our stuff from the house. Maybe if I can get in-"
"No need," said a voice from behind the two girls.
They turned around to see Donovan and Professor Silva standing together in the snow
with their arms around each other. Donovan looked so much better, almost fully recovered and was holding Kim's trunk and Bellona and Professor Silva was carrying Diamond's things. They looked almost angelic with the white snow falling softly behind them.
"Donovan!" Kim said running over to her mentor and hugging him.
Donovan hugged her tightly even though she could tell he was hurting where he'd been
cursed.
"I am so sorry Kim," he said, bending down to properly look her in the eye. "You saved my life."
Kim blushed. "No I really didn't," said Kim.
"Yes you did," Donovan argued. "If you hadn't stepped in, one more curse would have finished me off. I'm sure of it."
"Why did he want you?" Kim asked suddenly.
Donovan's gaze broke and he looked away. "I don't really know Kim," he said in a completely different tone. "It might have something to do with this," he said and from his front pocket he produced the black pendant.
Kim was surprised, she assumed the kidnapped would have stolen it or at least Donovan wouldn't try to come back for it.
"There's been whispers of the son of Merlin reappearing," Donovan said, depositing the pendant safely in Kim's hand. "I think that man mistook the 'M' on this pendant to mean Merlin and saw an opportunity."
"What does the 'M' stand for then?" asked Kim, rubbing the black stone with her thumb.
"Well Kim, what I believe it stands for is Minister," he said tapping the stone. "You see, one of our direct relatives was the Minister for Magic a long long time ago and I believe this is what he wore during the time."
Kim stared at the obsidian stone in awe. Even with her still somewhat limited perspective of the magical world, Minister for magic sounded awfully important.
"Grab my hand," said Donovan reaching out gloved fingers for Kim to grab. "Diamond you hold onto Emanuel- er Professor Silva. We're going to apparate back to your train."
Kim met Diamond's eye as they both grabbed hands with a professor. They squeezed their eyes shut and with a 'pop', they were gone.